


some people are worth melting for

by lazyfish



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Post-Episode: s03e13 Parting Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:47:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21796327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lazyfish/pseuds/lazyfish
Summary: The first winter after being disavowed feels wrong, and Bobbi's not sure how to make it feel right again.
Relationships: Lance Hunter/Bobbi Morse
Comments: 18
Kudos: 29





	some people are worth melting for

**Author's Note:**

  * For [besidemethewholedamntime](https://archiveofourown.org/users/besidemethewholedamntime/gifts).



Christmas this year felt wrong.

Last Christmas they had been at the Playground, laughing at Daisy’s obsessive over-tinseling and Mack’s grumbling about always having to be the one to hang things from the ceiling. There had been so much love, and so much laughter, and when Bobbi closed her eyes she could almost imagine she had a family again.

But it wasn’t meant to be this year, or any year from now on. She and Hunter had made her choice, and they made it with the understanding that they had sacrificed their family so everyone else could be safe, and S.H.I.E.L.D. could continue on. 

Bobbi didn’t think it was wrong to be a little melancholy, especially since the safehouse she and Hunter were holed up in for the foreseeable future was close to the Playground. Honestly, under other circumstances, Bobbi would’ve called it too close for comfort, but it was nice to know that even if they couldn’t be with the other agents for Christmas, she and Hunter could at least be nearby.

“It’s snowing again,” Hunter announced as he ducked into the kitchen. Bobbi hummed out her acknowledgement, turning from the dishes she was cleaning to press a soft kiss to his cheek. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and Bobbi squeaked when his cold hands slid under the hem of her sweater.

“Go for a walk with me,” he murmured into her neck. “You need to get out of this house.”

Bobbi couldn’t say he was wrong. She had spent more time indoors than usual, since the cold messed with her knee and she was more scared than she would admit to slip and fall on the ice that seemed to be permanently coating every surface. Not to mention there had been decorating to do, and with Hunter in and out on missions, Bobbi had done most of it alone. Hunter was going to be back for at least the next two weeks, though - neither of them had wanted to be apart on Christmas.

“Let me get my boots.” Bobbi kissed Hunter again before ducking out of his arms. The slippers she was wearing weren’t appropriate for the snow. She changed her shoes quickly and grabbed her jacket from their coat rack. Hunter was already waiting for her at the door, and he held it open for her as she stepped out.

When Hunter had said it was snowing, Bobbi was imagining little flurries, but Massachusetts weather obviously disagreed. The snow was significantly heavier than that, and it was sticking to the layer already on the ground.

“Think we’ll have a white Christmas?” Hunter asked, looping his arm through hers as they walked down the driveway.

“It would be nice.” Bobbi shrugged. “Not really what I’m thinking about.” Hunter knew that already, of course.

“I wonder if anyone even realizes it’s Christmastime,” Hunter mused. They crossed the street so they could stay on a sidewalk, and Bobbi nestled closer into Hunter’s side as they meandered down the lane. “Time moves differently on base.”

“It does,” she agreed. Then, slowly - “I really miss them.”

“Me too.” Hunter sighed, his breath creating a frosty cloud in the air. “I thought keeping busy would help, but it doesn’t, really.”

“I wonder if they even remember us.” Bobbi swallowed around the sudden lump in her throat. “They have our stockings still, you know.” She had bought new ones, which was silly. She and Hunter moved around enough that having a box for Christmas decorations felt frivolous and overly sentimental. Bobbi had never been much for sentimentality, but now it felt even worse. She wondered vaguely if Russia had finally done what years of being a spy hadn’t - if it had finally frozen her to the point where she couldn’t be thawed anymore.

Hunter didn’t answer, just leaned over and pressed a kiss to her snow-covered hair. He was getting better about giving her space, and not always jumping in to try and save her. Something warm settled in the pit of Bobbi’s stomach.

They were halfway around the block when Bobbi first began to shiver. She hadn’t grabbed a hat, nor a scarf or gloves. She always thought she was better about tolerating cold than she actually was. The obvious answer to this conundrum was to snuggle closer to Hunter - though he seemed to disagree.

“Oh, my California girl.” Hunter stopped and pulled his arm away from Bobbi’s so he could unwind his scarf. He wrapped it around Bobbi’s neck, and she nuzzled into the warmth and the smell of Hunter. He plopped his hat onto her head next, but Bobbi stopped him before he could peel off his gloves, too.

“I haven’t lived in California in years,” she grumbled, tucking herself back into Hunter’s side.

“But you’ll always be my California girl. My American pie. My -”

“Stop it,” Bobbi said, shoving him slightly. “Or I’ll start comparing you to the Beatles.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that.” Bobbi grinned at him, and wasn’t at all surprised when he leaned in and planted a firm kiss on her lips. She reached for Hunter, threading her fingers through his hair and holding his face close to hers even when he broke the kiss.

“I love you, you know that?” Hunter’s eyes searched hers, and Bobbi nodded minutely. Her eyelids fluttered closed as Hunter pressed their foreheads together, and for a moment, she wasn’t in their neighborhood, walking in the winter snow - she was in a cell in Russia, damp and dark and bone-chilling in all the worst ways. She was about to lose everything, except the man she was holding onto like a lifeline.

“I know that,” she whispered, eyes still closed as she pulled herself back into the present. She knew he loved her, and that was part of the reason she had been able to take the bullet - first the literal one, then metaphorical one. She trusted few in this life, but Hunter was at the top of her list.

“I know I’m not the same as having all of them…” Hunter’s breath was warm against her lips and the leather of his gloves was cool against her cheeks. “But I hope I’m enough.”

“You are.” She didn’t hesitate - she didn’t need to. This life with Hunter wasn’t the life she thought she’d have this time last year. It wasn’t the life she wanted. It wasn’t the life he wanted, either, though, and for some reason that was oddly satisfying. They hadn’t left S.H.I.E.L.D. because he had pulled her away, because he thought her job was coming between them. They had left because they both loved S.H.I.E.L.D., both loved their friends, their family, and that made it easier to stomach. The choice they had made in Russia felt like the first time they were truly on the same page, which was awful, but… there were worse ways to start a new life.

Bobbi opened her eyes to find Hunter still peering at her.

“They didn’t forget you, Bobbi.” He brushed his lips against hers, so gentle Bobbi wasn’t even entirely sure he had intended to kiss her at all. “I speak from experience when I say that even when you’re gone, you’re not really gone.” Hunter kissed her again, only a tad harder than before. “You are unforgettable, Bobbi Morse.”

She kissed him that time, harder and faster and wilder than she should have - but she couldn’t bring herself to care. Hunter was breathing harder when Bobbi pulled back, sparks of shock dancing in his hazel eyes.

“What was that for?” 

“Because I love you,” Bobbi said, rolling her eyes. Hunter could be extremely thick, sometimes. Bobbi swallowed hard, emotion suddenly gumming up her throat. “And you’re enough, okay?” She was unforgettable, and he was enough - those were the truths they needed to learn to believe if they were going to make this life together keep working the way it was supposed to.

“Okay.” Hunter slipped his arm back through hers, tugging her slightly so they could resume walking. It was probably for the better visibility was reduced because of the snow; Bobbi wouldn’t have wanted any of their neighbors to witness the conversation they just had. Even now, she was glad that no one would be able to see the hot tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks.

Hunter didn’t comment on them, just wiped each tear away before it could freeze on her face.

By the time they made it back home, the wind had begun howling, and the snow looked fit to turn into a blizzard. They were both covered head-to-toe in snowflakes, too. Hunter looked utterly adorable with snow sprinkled in his hair, and she told him so.

She had been wrong, Bobbi decided when Hunter grinned at her. Russia hadn’t covered her heart in permafrost - and even if it had, Lance Hunter was worth melting for.


End file.
